Dog Tales
by dreamer one
Summary: Four kids and a Jack Russell terrier. It’s enough to make most men run for the hills – or at least the Replicators. But not Jack O’Neill. After all, he’s our hero! This is a stand alone story. SJ, JD. Final chapter:Christmastime!
1. Chapter 1 Trial Period

_A/N: This story is dedicated to my family's three Jack Russell terriers, Chloe, Ty and Titan._

_In our story, Janet is alive; she and Daniel have been married five years and have a 6 month old son, Ethan. Sam and Jack have been married 14 years and have four children. Cassie is twenty-nine years old._

_(For those of you familiar with the alternate universe I've created in the Alone series, this little tidbit happens shortly after Jack returns in Alone; the twins are 12 years old.)_

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DOG TALES

Chapter One: Trial Period

Cassandra Frasier was back in Colorado Springs. Once she'd completed her post-doctoral work, she'd easily secured a research posting at the SGC. For Cassie, clearance was no problem, and she'd easily adjusted to her new responsibilities. Initially, she lived with her mom, Daniel and little Ethan. But just last week she'd made a down payment on a place of her own. She was excited to say the least!

She'd hoped to come back to the Springs with a fiancé in tow, but things hadn't worked out. Donald wasn't able to deal with the fact that her work would be classified and he'd be shut out of that part of her life. As she moved into her new home, just two blocks from the Jackson residence, she realized she didn't want to be there all alone.

Cassie had never forgotten the moment, many long years ago, when Jack O'Neill had presented her with her first dog. He'd made up some excuse for giving it to her, but she knew now the gift was meant to ease the loneliness and loss she felt those first few months on Earth. A dog, maybe that's exactly what she needed. _Probably be a_ _lot more reliable than Donald,_ she thought.

She wasn't sure how she ended up at a Jack Russell rescue in the foothills, but before she knew it, she was falling in love.

"Ms. Frasier, we have three dogs available for adoption right now," Mrs. Anderson, the owner of the rescue stated, two of said dogs even now vying for her attention.

"All of our animals at the rescue have had failed placements in the past. Often the Jacks are misunderstood by families who think they are cute little picture postcard dogs, like the ones on television, dogs that won't be any trouble. As you may notice from watching these two," she said, gesturing to the little ones even now nipping at her heels, "the Jack Russell terrier is a high energy breed which demands a great deal of attention from his adoptive parents."

"I can see that," Cassie said with a wide grin, getting down on her knees to greet the two small, friendly, curious dogs as they greeted her with their boundless energy and very wet tongues.

"I apologize for their behavior, Ms. Frasier. The goal is to teach the dogs to avoid licking, especially when greeting strangers. These two have only been with me the past two weeks. Their last owner couldn't deal with some of their behaviors, I'm afraid."

Cassie didn't hear much of what Mrs. Anderson was telling her right now. She was buried in wet kisses from two very lovable bundles of joy and she couldn't stop laughing at their antics. Just then a third terrier, smaller than the first two, shyly made her way over to join her friends.

"The two active little guys in your arms right now are Chip and Dale, brothers from the same litter actually," Mrs. Anderson supplied. And the young lady watching all the fuss is Gloria. She's been here a little longer and was abused as a puppy. She's really quite laid back for a Jack."

"They're just wonderful, Mrs. Anderson. I love them all," Cassie beamed. And indeed she did.

OoOoOo

Four great kids, a gorgeous wife, a fantastic home and on speed dial for friends of various alien persuasions.

All that was missing was a dog,

Jack O'Neill had wanted a dog for a long time. But he'd wanted a real dog. You know, a golden retriever or a chocolate lab. Not the poster child for Canine Attention Deficit Disorder. He swore those TV spots that showcased these cute little dogs were secretly financed by a world wide conspiracy of Jack Russell Rescue organizations to lull potential adoptive families into a false sense of security.

Now, as he shook his head at the ball of boundless energy jumping between Jake and Grace in the backyard, he wondered anew what had gotten into Cassie. His usually level headed, scientifically minded honorary daughter had shown up at his front door with a wired whirling dervish named Chip yesterday. A big smile on her face and a bright ribbon tied to Chip's collar, she proudly announced he was the lucky owner of a handsome Jack Russell Terrier.

Seems Cassie couldn't decide which dog to adopt at Mrs. Anderson's rescue. They were all so cute. So she adopted Gloria herself and offered to 'foster' Chip and Dale for an extended trial period. And she'd decided on just the right foster parents. (By the 'right foster parents', she meant parents who would never be able to give them back!)

She presented Dale to her mom and Daniel. After all, she was sure Ethan would need a dog eventually. Then she brought Chip to the O'Neills. She selected the most high spirited of the terriers for Jack and Sam's family figuring the energy would be absorbed in a household of four children.

When Cassie arrived with Chip and explained the plan, the O'Neill children were thrilled. Jack, however, was less than enthusiastic.

"Cassie, what are you doing?" He'd asked, trying not to hurt her feelings.

"I'm bringing the kids a dog, Uncle Jack. They'll love Chip. And so will you."

"But Cassie, maybe we don't want a dog. Ever think of that?" Jack had questioned innocently, his wife trying to hide her laughter in the background.

Without missing a beat, Cassie replied, "But Uncle Jack, every kid has to have a dog – it's an earth rule. Remember?"

TBC

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_Hope you liked._

_I have two short follow up chapters planned._

_Reviews much appreciated_!


	2. Chapter 2 Falling in Love

_A/N: This story is dedicated to my family's three Jack Russell terriers, Chloe, Ty and Titan. The names have been changed to protect the innocent._

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CHAPTER TWO: FALLING IN LOVE

Chip had taken up residence in the O'Neill household just one week ago and already he was taking charge. Jon and Beth had been the first to fall for his antics, rapidly giving in to the cute little dog's every whim. Their older siblings weren't far behind in the Chip fan club, quickly falling under the spell of this endearing little canine. And Sam, well Sam was easily won over by this seventeen pound bundle of joy, so obviously loved by her children.

True to his breed, Chip was full of energy and enthusiasm, always ready for a good adventure or, better yet, a good hunt. The children took turns playing with him whenever Chip wanted, and that was most of the time. At least until the man of the house was available.

Chip had quickly spotted Jack O'Neill as the 'alpha dog' of the family. More than that, he figured out that this particular 'alpha dog' wasn't his biggest fan. Being a pretty smart dog, Chip set out to change that situation any way he could.

Jack Russell terriers learn early in life that their rambunctious personalities may frighten off the faint hearted owner. Chip could tell there was nothing faint hearted about the O'Neill clan. He just needed to worm his way into their hearts by playing up the cuteness factor. And of course, persistence, that always seemed to do this trick. And persistence was his middle name.

As soon as Jack O'Neill came home for the day, Chip fastened on to him like his shadow. Everyone else in the family became extras. His attention was fixed on 'alpha dog'. Of course Jack didn't always see this as complimentary, especially at the beginning. Sure there were times, once he was completely tuckered out, that Chip just crawled up on his lap and snuggled. (These were the moments one could be lulled into a false sense of security and believe he was a good little lap dog.) But for the most part, Chip was sure Jack would _love _playing with him, if he would just give it a chance.

Tonight was an example of how the dance played outday afterday during the early stages of dog training in the O'Neill household. (Just who was being trained, no one really knew.)

"Grace, call Chip and take him out in the yard to play, would you. I'm trying to read the paper," Jack called from the family room, where he'd just settled down in his favorite recliner and started the front section of the paper.

"Sure thing, Dad. Come on, Chip. Give Dad a minute, we'll play with you," she called, walking over to her father's chair where Chip continued to yip at his feet.

"Dad, sorry, but he's not too interested. I think he wants you. After all, you are his favorite."

"Princess, just pick him up and take him out with you, okay?"

Grace proceeded to do just that. After all, she loved playing with Chip and had at least another hour before she was going out with some friends. No sooner had she scooped up the small dog, than he wiggled out of her grasp and was back at his master's feet, brandishing a tug of war toy he was hoping Jack would like.

"Grace, telephone," Jake called to his sister.

"Coming … sorry, Dad, gotta go. He just wants to play with you, you know."

As Grace withdrew from the battlefield – it was a battle of wills – Jack peered over the paper briefly. There was the little guy at his feet, almost dancing with anticipation to have gotten his master's attention. As he usually did, Jack just glared at him, determined to give him the message that he was in charge. He was not going to let this pint sized dog run the household. It was becoming pretty clear from his children's reactions that Chip was here to stay; if that was the case, he was going to be well trained and know who was boss.

As Jack turned his attention back to the paper, Chip realized he needed to up the ante. He proceeded to yip some more and tug on the bottom edges of Jack's trousers. When that got no reaction, he began to pull his shoelaces loose. This behavior never endeared dogs to Jack O'Neill.

"Hey, stop it, Chip. I'm trying to read here. I'll play with you, but you're gonna wait till I'm finished with what I'm doing."

The past few afternoons, Chip had responded to these brush-offs with a little more yipping and then just walked off to find more likely playmates. But today was different. He'd given this human enough time to figure out how cute he was. He should have gotten with the program by now.

Without a second thought, Chip executed one of his patented leaps from floor to lap, a move that would make an athlete like Jack O'Neill sit up and take notice. Better yet, in the same motion, he'd managed to take care of that offending newspaper, landing squarely on top of it and pulling it out of his master's hands.

As a startled Jack O'Neill looked up to see what had happened, he found Chip standing on his lap, his little nose and big brown eyes just inches from his face, looking at him pleadingly as if to say, "_Now_ will you play with me?" By the time Chip started the kissing torture, Jack had lost the battle. He'd tried his best to contain his laughter and admiration for the little guy's persistence but now, as the wet little tongue started bestowing kisses, Jack started to laugh out loud. _Yep, this little Jack was a pain in the neck, but he was a cute pain in the neck. And he wouldn't take no for an answer. A lot_ _like another Jack everyone knew and loved! _The humor of the situation wasn't lost on the man who'd saved the world countless times. He finally put aside his plans for a few minutes of quiet relaxation, picked up Chip and made his way to the yard.

By the time Sam called from the kitchen that supper was ready, her husband and one very tired but happy little dog came in together, looking like best friends. They'd finally reached an understanding.

TBC

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A/N: Any guesses as to who is really in charge? 


	3. Chapter 3 Here to Stay

_A/N: I don't know how the weather is where you are, but with temperatures at 100 degree levels today, I figured concluding this story with a Christmas scene might cool me off._

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CHAPTER THREE: HERE TO STAY

Christmas morning dawned crisp and clear in Colorado Springs. Snow had fallen overnight and a white blanket of cold, crystalline fluff covered the ground.

The day unofficially began two hours earlier, around 0500 with one very excited four -year- old bounding into the room and jumping onto her parents' bed shouting, "It's Christmas, Mommy! Daddy, it's Christmas!" Sam had gotten up and carried Beth back to her bed explaining that Santa Claus was still making his rounds and little boys and girls were not allowed by the Christmas tree until sunrise. Fortunately, Beth was still young enough to believe this. The older children had simply learned to stay in bed until Mom and Dad were up and about on Christmas morning.

By 0730, Sam had been up puttering in the kitchen for some time. With Grace's help she'd prepared a light breakfast of just baked cinnamon rolls and freshly squeezed orange juice. Now it was time to rouse her husband who was still snoring soundly.

Jack had put in a long Christmas Eve. Retirement wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Jack O'Neill's special talents were still in great demand; he'd been tied up with SGC trainees until nearly 2000 hours last night. Between the long day and his dedication to preserving the Christmas Eve tradition of storytelling, family time and yes, dressing up as Santa Claus – hey, Beth still believed – he was exhausted by the time everyone finally settled down to sleep.

Sam quietly made her way to her husband's bedside, the coffee in her hand a peace offering, as she prepared to wake him up. She chuckled silently as she noticed an unexpected lump under the covers just behind Jack's legs.

"Jack, time to wake up. It's Christmas morning," she whispered in his ear. He stirred ever so slightly, a mildly puzzled look on his face as he slowly opened his eyes and caught sight of his wife.

"Morning, beautiful," he said taking in her freshly washed face, still lovely without a hint of makeup.

"What's the matter?" Sam asked with a grin, recognizing his confusion as he began to shift in the bed.

"If you're there, then what's in bed with me?" he asked. "It's not …hey, I thought we talked about that."

As Jack threw back the covers, Chip bounced out of his cozy hideaway, where he'd been tucked under the hollow of Jack's knees, and worked his way up to kiss his master good morning. His happy go lucky attitude spoke volumes as if to say, _I knew you'd like sleeping with me. It's a Christmas present_.

Chip had been with the O'Neills nearly 6 months now. Despite Jack's initial resolution to the contrary, the dog had full run of the house. The little Jack Russell had a definite aversion to sleeping alone and took turns sleeping with each of the children. Though Jack had reluctantly given in to that habit, he'd drawn a line in the sand when Chip had decided to try out the master bedroom.

"But Jack, he just wants to snuggle. He sleeps with everyone else in the house. He likes you," Sam had reasoned.

"Sam, I am not having anyone, anything or any DOG sleep in our bed with us. Do I make myself perfectly clear?" Jack had said more than once.

"Yes, dear. Crystal," Sam had replied, while rolling her eyes, each and every time. But today, on Chip's first O'Neill Christmas, the irrepressible canine had decided to take things into his own paws. Once Sam had left the bed to prepare breakfast, Chip had found his way in, snuggling up to a soundly sleeping Jack O'Neill. And now the deed was done, even the big bad black-ops soldier couldn't be mad at the determined little guy.

OoOoOo

As usual, the O'Neill and Jackson families spent the majority of Christmas Day together. It had become a dearly held tradition over the past few years. This year it was the O'Neills' turn to host the celebration and there were several new additions to the extended family.

This was Ethan's first Christmas. Janet and Daniel's only child, now eleven months old, was wide-eyed and a bit overwhelmed at all the decorations and packages that seemed to go with this particular celebration. His parents were thrilled to finally share the joys of this day with a child of their own.

Then of course, there were the three new canine additions. Chip, Dale and Gloria had all found permanent homes within the O'Neill-Jackson circle. As the two-legged members of the family prepared to open presents, their four-legged friends played companionably in the yard. Gloria, as was her ilk, watched calmly from her perch on the patio while Chip and Dale attempted to corner and take down a lone chipmunk foolish enough to forage for food in the O'Neill yard.

Cassie was quite pleased with herself once she realized how well her canine adoption plan had worked. She knew everyone would love the dogs, even if it did take awhile for Uncle Jack to warm up to the idea. She had to admit, throwing his own words back at him that first day had been a stroke of genius.

As Cassie glanced up at the fireplace mantle, she noticed it was much more crowded than in years gone by. It was hung with stockings for five adults, five children and, you guessed it, three little dogs.

Positioned next to the stockings belonging to their respective owners were stockings neatly labeled 'Gloria', 'Dale' and 'Chip'. Filled with doggie treats, holiday bandanas (Cassie had insisted they be fashionably dressed) and replacement pull toys, these particular Christmas treats were big hits with the canine set.

With their own hand embroidered Christmas stockings, loving family members and ready made playmates, the Jacks were here to stay.

THE END


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